| Reviews |
| - 'The bottom line is that for the serious seabird enthusiast, this is a must have. Ocean Wanders Bookshelf May 2008' -
- '
a well written , attractively produced book that will sit nicely on a polar shelf, perhaps next to such ornithological classics as Edward Wilson's birds of the Antarctic
edited by Brian Roberts and R.A. Falla on the birds of the BANZARE Expedition.
' - John Cooper, Polar Record, Vol 42/2, 2006
- 'The general chapters cover well-researched and abundantly referenced sections ... For anyone interested in, or working on petrels, this book provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information available in a very readable style.' - Bird Study
- '... presents an updated view of our understanding of Petrel biology ... fresh look on the subject in light of recent discoveries.' - Avian and Poultry Biology Review
- '
OUP cannot be faulted for producing an attractive and worthwhile addition to ornithological texts. Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World
give[s] an interesting and accessible account of the life style of these fascinating birds ... This book certainly helps to raise the profile of Petrels, which can only be a good thing in their longterm conservation.
' - Avian and Poultry Biology
Review
- 'Both authors combine scientific scholarship with a highly readable style, and this makes this book a pleasure to pour over.' - BBC Wildlife
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| Description | | - Provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date species-level information available on this family of birds, from a renowned expert and communicator, Michael Brooke
- Includes chapters covering the biology, feeding ecology, breeding behaviour, evolutionary relationships, and conservation of the birds in the family
- General chapters are followed by accounts of each species, including weights and measurements, field characters, voice, habitat and food, breeding behaviour, life cycle, and range and status
- Specially commissioned illustrations include 16 colour plates by John Cox showing adults of all species and many juveniles, immatures, and subspecies, plus integrated species distribution maps and black-and-white line figures
- Bird Families of the World, a multivolume series of handbooks, is intended to serve the interests of both the professional scientist and the ever-growing body of amateur ornithologists; each volume provides a comprehensive and accurate synthesis of our knowledge of one bird family or several related families
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Visiting all the world's seas, the 125 species of albatross and petrel are the most oceanic and widespread of all seabirds. The nesting islands tenanted by these remarkable birds include some of the remotest atolls and some of the bleakest ice-bound Antarctic islands on the planet. Despite their penchant for the remote, petrels are now well studied ashore during breeding and, thanks to the
rapid development of satellite tracking and similar techniques, when they roam the high seas. In this comprehensive and elegantly written book, Michael Brooke, who has visited some 40 countries in pursuit of birds, has brought together a wealth of information on all aspects of the biology of the species. He considers why Short-tailed Shearwaters nesting off Australia make regular 10,000 km round
trips to Antarctica to harvest a single meal for their chicks, and he discusses the fearsome threat posed to most of the world's 21 albatross species by modern fishing techniques, especially long-lining.
Following the ten introductory chapters come 125 individual species accounts, each accompanied by a detailed distribution map. These accounts are the most accessible and up-to-date summaries
of each species' biology currently available. The book is enhanced by 16 colour plates and many delightful line drawings by John Cox, and the text is also liberally illustrated with photographs.
Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World
will appeal to all seabird enthusiasts, whether non-specialists keen to learn more of the species that can be seen on a pelagic cruise, or professionals
eager to discover how the extraordinary lifestyles of albatrosses and petrels are adaptations to a life on the ocean waves.
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Readership: Professional ornithologists and researchers; amateur ornithologists and naturalists, and people interested in evolution and natural history.
| Contents |
List of colour plates
List of abbreviations
Plan of the book and notes on reading the species accounts
Part I: General Chapters
1.
An Introduction to the Petrels
2.
The Origins and Radiation of the Petrels
3.
The Colonial Imperative and its Impact on Behaviour
4.
The Build up to Laying
5.
Petrel Eggs: The Long Haul from Laying to Hatching
6.
The Chick's Passage from Egg to the High Seas
7.
Factors Influencing the Breeding Success of Petrels
8.
The Life History of Petrels
9.
How Does a Petrel Find Food at Sea: Some Developing Answers
10.
Perils for Petrels
Part II: Species accounts
References
Appendix 1: A summary of aspects of the breeding of the 79 species of Procellariidae
Appendix 2: Scienfific names of birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, insects, and plants mentioned in the text
Index
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| Authors, editors,
and contributors |
Michael Brooke, Strickland Curator of Birds, University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge
Illustrated by John Cox
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The specification in this catalogue, including without
limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations,
and month of publication, was as accurate as
possible at the time the catalogue was compiled.
Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we
are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory.
Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.
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